Come Home!

Have you been working diligently for the Kingdom of God for a long time now, or have you left Jesus Christ and gone your own way? In this week’s sermon, we will explore a message the Heavenly Father has for you, no matter where you’ve lived your spiritual life.


Scripture: Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

Now all the tax collectors and sinners were coming near to listen to him. And the Pharisees and the scribes were grumbling and saying, “This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.”

Then Jesus said, “There was a man who had two sons. The younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of the property that will belong to me.’ So he divided his property between them.

“A few days later the younger son gathered all he had and traveled to a distant country, and there he squandered his property in dissolute living. When he had spent everything, a severe famine took place throughout that country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed the pigs. He would gladly have filled himself with the pods that the pigs were eating; and no one gave him anything.

“But when he came to himself he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired hands have bread enough and to spare, but here I am dying of hunger! I will get up and go to my father, and I will say to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son; treat me like one of your hired hands.’ So he set off and went to his father.

“But while he was still far off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion; he ran and put his arms around him and kissed him.

“Then the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly, bring out a robe—the best one—and put it on him; put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. And get the fatted calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; for this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!’ And they began to celebrate.

“Now his elder son was in the field; and when he came and approached the house, he heard music and dancing. He called one of the slaves and asked what was going on. He replied, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fatted calf, because he has got him back safe and sound.’

“Then he became angry and refused to go in. His father came out and began to plead with him. But he answered his father, ‘Listen! For all these years I have been working like a slave for you, and I have never disobeyed your command; yet you have never given me even a young goat so that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came back, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fatted calf for him!’

“Then the father said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. But we had to celebrate and rejoice, because this brother of yours was dead and has come to life; he was lost and has been found.’”


Renewing Reflections

It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon What to Do With the Rest of Your life delivered on Christian Crusaders December 30, 2007:

God loves you and has promised healing for sin-sick souls. Come and dip yourself in the river of healing grace. He doesn’t want you to spend another minute without him in your life. . . . do you have any idols in your back yard that you fear, love, and trust? Are there any things to which you look for security other than the one who has saved you through his Son, Jesus Christ? Remember the first commandment. According to Scripture, there is a promise that delights God. It is from the book of Joshua and goes like this: “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).


Share the Word

People are more likely to tune into a Christian radio program if it is suggested by a friend or relative. Perhaps you have an aunt in Phoenix, a granddaughter in Minneapolis, or a cousin in Portland who might enjoy listening to Christian Crusaders on their local radio station. A complete list of where Christian Crusaders broadcasts its program is found on our Radio Station Listing page of ChristianCrusaders.org. Follow the link to find a station near you or someone you know, and suggest they listen.


On the Light Side

Though highly successful in law and investments, Charles Vance Millar is known primarily for his love of jokes and pranks that play on people’s greed and hypocrisy. Millar’s greatest and final prank was his will, which said in part: “This Will is necessarily uncommon and capricious because I have no dependents or near relations, no duty rests upon me to leave any property at my death, and what I do leave is proof of my folly in gathering and retaining more than I required in my lifetime.”

The will was full of playful bequests. But the final bequest of his will was the largest and strangest. In the will’s ninth clause, Millar’s estate’s balance was required to be converted to cash ten years after his death and given to the woman who gave birth to the most children in that time. In the event of a tie, the bequest would be divided equally. The resulting contest became known as the Great Stork Derby.

Jesus Looks At His World

When we watch the news on television, we often see the depravity of our society – murders, thefts, and corruptions of all kinds. There is no doubt that we live in a broken world, and all too often we are anxious to just write it off. Does Jesus feel the same way? In this week’s sermon, we will examine His attitude toward the sinful people in this world.


Scripture: Mark 6:30-44

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest."

So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

By this time it was late in the day, so his disciples came to him. "This is a remote place," they said, "and it's already very late. Send the people away so they can go to the surrounding countryside and villages and buy themselves something to eat."

But he answered, "You give them something to eat."

They said to him, "That would take eight months of a man's wages ! Are we to go and spend that much on bread and give it to them to eat?"

"How many loaves do you have?" he asked. "Go and see."

When they found out, they said, "Five--and two fish."

Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand.


Renewing Reflections

It is our prayer that Renewing Reflections will be a blessing in your life this coming week. This quote is taken from the sermon The Importance of the Individual delivered on Christian Crusaders April 7, 2002:

You are created in the image of God and have not only a body, but a mind, will, and soul. You have sinned, but God has redeemed you in the person of Jesus Christ. As one of His redeemed children, your Father has called you to be one of His ambassadors in this world and makes His appeal to others through you. A person with this stature is the crowning work of God’s creation.


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On the Light Side

• Noah started building several arks for various parts of animal kingdom. One was a split level job for all the fish – a multi-story carp ark.

• What do you call a fish with no eyes? Fsh

• How do fish go into business? They start on a small scale.

• Which fish go to heaven when they die? Angelfish

• What bit of fish doesn’t make sense? The piece of cod that passeth all understanding.

• What kind of money do fishermen make? Net profits

• What do you get if you cross a salmon, a bird’s leg and a hand? Birdsthigh fish fingers

• What TV game show do fish like best? Name that tuna.

• What do you call a literary fish? Salmon Rushdie.

• Who sleeps at the bottom of the sea? Jack the kipper.
• Where does seaweed look for a job? In the ‘Kelp-wanted’ ads.